


Dreams of Love

by transjohnnygill



Series: Friends-Neighbors-Roommates [1]
Category: D.Gray-man
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-27
Updated: 2016-04-27
Packaged: 2018-06-04 20:54:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6675142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/transjohnnygill/pseuds/transjohnnygill
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Allen is having an art block while composing a new piece. Inspiration comes from an unexpected source.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dreams of Love

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by this post on tumblr.  
> http://transjohnnygill.tumblr.com/post/143240439554/ninemoons42-actualmodel-one-of-my-neighbours

Autumn was Allen’s favorite time of year. When the humidity and temperature finally dropped, a light breeze flowing in through the open windows of his apartment—that was heaven. The season also had a way of providing him with much needed inspiration just in time for the fall recital season; as a music major, all of Allen’s free time was currently being dedicated to composing a piece for the show case taking place at the end of the semester, and as one of the top piano performers in the school, Allen knew that his piece had to be _perfect_.

And so for the fifth day in a row, Allen found himself sitting at his baby grand, windows wide open, trying to match keys and chords to the perfection of wind’s gentle song and the blissfulness of the season. And while the first part of the composition had come easily to him, the further along he got, the more Allen struggled with it and the more he felt that something was just _missing_.

Sighing in frustration, he put his staff paper to the side, regrouping like he always did by playing through several of his previous pieces restlessly, half-way hoping that he would have a miraculous breakthrough if he played the same songs over enough times. Allen was just glad that his roommates weren’t home; BaKanda would have been yelling at him for playing the same songs “like an obnoxious, broken record”; Lenalee, while meaning well, would have insisted that he stop for a while, and Lavi...would be acting like, well, Lavi, probably joking about how he might be able to help with Allen’s “performance” issues.

None of which was going to help the fact that he only had a week left to finish his piece and have it performance-perfect for the show case. Faceplanting his forehead down on the ivory keys, Allen allowed himself to wallow in a moment of self-pity before resolving on a plan: A quick walk around the neighborhood to clear his head, lunch to satisfy the rumbling he was beginning to feel in his chronically-hungry stomach, and then he would settle back down to finish his composition.

Standing up from his piano and stretching, Allen grabbed his coat and keys, but as he made his way to the front door, he noticed a slip of paper that had been slid inside from underneath. Allen’s brows knotted together in concern, hoping that he hadn’t unset one of his neighbors with his near-constant playing over the past week…in hindsight, playing with all of the windows wide open probably wasn’t his brightest idea to date…

Allen reached down and grabbed the small sheet of paper, turning it over in his hands; to his surprise, there were only two short lines dotted down in an elegant, scrolling print:

**_“A humble request to the pianist:_ **

**_Liebestraum No. 3 In A Flat”_ **

Well, at least they weren’t upset, right? Setting his coat back down, Allen wandered back over to his piano and opened one of his music apps on his phone, searching for the sheet music of the requested song. He felt he owed it to his poor neighbor to try playing it through at least once. He played through the first few measures experimentally, trying to get a feel for the song…unfamiliar as it was, it was very beautiful, inspiring within him the same feelings of falling leaves that he had been failing to achieve in his own composition.

Confidence growing, Allen continued belting out the song, hoping that whichever of his neighbors had sent the anonymous request was still around to hear it. Right as he lay down the final chords of the song, applause and whooping erupted from one of the balconies somewhere above his apartment. Allen felt his face flush; so they really had been listening. He stuck his head out the open window and yelled, “Thanks for the song recommendation!!”

He continued playing then, plans forgotten, when not three minutes later there was a sharp knock on his front door. Frowning slightly, Allen got up to answer it. Standing in his doorway was the young, blond, German man that lived two floors above him, holding out his hand. “Howard Link. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Piano-man.”

Allen finally knew how his song should end.

**Author's Note:**

> If anyone hasn't heard the song before, it is amazing and you should listen to it.  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4tfejFYHfM


End file.
